More Monster Tools Arrived

Vaughn McMillan

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Got my next installment of Monster Tools from Randy at www.monster-wood-tool.com. After I got my hollowing rig, I asked him
if he had a handle that the assorted cutting bits and tool holders would fit into, so I could use them outside of the captive rig. He said he'd had this tool in testing for several months, so he figured it was time to offer it to the market. Something tells me he's gonna sell a lot of them. He calls it the Monster Indexer with Handle. I call it a very versatile hunk of steel and foam padding.

It's essentially a double-ended heavy tubular steel handle, about 16" long with a 5/8" hole in one end and an 3/8" hole in the other (or 1/2", depending on what you ask for). Along with the handle a comes 5/8" heavy duty boring bar that has a 3/16" high speed square tool bit in one end and a 1/4" high speed square tool bit in the other end. It also comes with machined plugs for both ends, so it can be easily be filled with lead shot if you want it weighted. (It's already real heavy compared to my conventional chisels.) The tool's a bit dusty in these pics...they were taken after a nice long test drive roughing out a walnut bowl.

MIXH 1 800.jpg

Here's the 3/16" bit end:

MIXH 2 800.jpg

And here's the 1/4" bit end. Each bit is reversible, with cutting tips at each end, for a total of four cutting edges:

MIXH 3 800.jpg

The 3/8" hole in the handle, and machined plug:

MIXH 4 800T.jpg

The 5/8" hole in the handle, and machined plug:

MIXH 5 800T.jpg

You can set it up as a short tool:

MIXH 6 800.jpg

Or a long tool:

MIXH 7 800.jpg

I can also attach various bits and such from the hollowing rig, either to the handle directly or to the boring bar:

MIXH 9 800T.jpg

And since a nice tool like this deserves a good tool rest, I also got this:

Tool Rest 1 800.jpg

It's 12" long by 3/4" diameter. Sears lathes have a 7/8" tool rest post, so Randy made the post 0.874" in diameter. What I'd consider to be just right. Turns out my Sears lathe has an undersized tool rest hole in the banjo -- it's 0.864" in diameter. :doh:That 1/100th of an inch is kicking me in the rear. So far I've not been able to test drive the tool rest, but I intend to get things adjusted...probably by drilling out the banjo hole a smidgen.

As I see it, either Sears messed up in the manufacturing of the banjo, or I messed up in measuring for the post with a steel ruler, instead of a digital caliper. Either way, I can't blame Randy for the tool rest not fitting. He made it to the specs he was given. Despite not being able to use the tool rest yet, I'm continually impressed with the quality, workmanship, and beefiness of his tools.
 
Congrats!!!

You must have a really deep pocket to score all those toys err tools.

I've seen that handle and it sure sounds like it rocks. I wanted to buy his "J" tool rest but can't afford it ...will have to look elsewhere for a cheaper alternative.

If you have a coring tool...I herad he also makes an adapter for it to mount tha laser system. Something I would have bought if I've known.

BTW, Had my first HF done and finally buffed last night. The rig really works great!
 
Looks pretty good Vaughn. I would have liked to get the handles but that will have to wait. I am buying the Monster HF tool from Randy. Was going to order today but Randy didn't get back to me. Hopefully tomorrow. I have the Kelton HF tools and they work pretty good for free hand.
 
Tool Rest and Laser Update

Got the tool rest issue handled tonight. I asked a gearhead buddy at work if he had a 7/8” drill bit, and he thought he did, so I took the banjo and tool rest over to his house tonight. Turns out he didn’t have a bit the right size, but he did have a 1960’s era 13” South Bend metal lathe in prime condition. He turned the tool rest post down about 8.5 thousandths, and everything fits great. It looks like the mounting hole in the banjo is 22 mm instead of 0.875 inches.

Also got the replacement laser installed and running. Tomorrow night I’ll attack one of several spalted hackberry blanks I have and see how it does. ;)
 
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